turtledovefandomcom-20200216-history
Talk:Rafe (Fort Pillow)
This character and his friend are technically real; HT wrote the scene based directly on Robinson's testimony, except HT seems to have added the names. Shall we reclassify them as historical with a literary note, or leave it alone? TR 22:04, June 26, 2010 (UTC) :Hmm--Maybe a note would be in order, but it should stay in fictional? :By the way, just because Robinson testified to it doesn't mean it was real. Remember that Wade was browbeating him into exaggerating Forrest's inhumanity, both in the book and in real life. Turtle Fan 01:03, June 27, 2010 (UTC) ::True, I'd considered that point as well. For what it's worth, I tend to believe Robinso. His tale isn't exactly out of step with other events of the war. :::You know, I never read all that deeply into FP other than the novel. I've read accounts but have declined to try to suss out where the truth lies in he-said-she-said. Turtle Fan 06:46, June 27, 2010 (UTC) ::In the meantime, I'll leave them in fictional. Perhaps the Fort Pillow template needs to have some sort of disclaimer about how this is Turtledove's version of events or something. TR 03:58, June 27, 2010 (UTC) :::Is that the best place for it? Remember that the template collapses as soon as you open a page that includes it. Hard to get noticed that way. Turtle Fan 06:46, June 27, 2010 (UTC) ::::A point. Perhaps a template designed specifically for historical works like FP, GMBML!, and any other historical works that might come down the pike. TR 15:52, June 27, 2010 (UTC) :::::Would Justinian need that as well? I wouldn't know, I've never read it. Turtle Fan 17:42, June 27, 2010 (UTC) ::::::Indeed, as it is in the form of Justinian's memoirs, which of course Justinian never wrote. TR 18:08, June 27, 2010 (UTC) :::::::Some of the best historical fiction on the market takes the form of memoirs that were never written. Assuming, of course, that the historical figure in question could be made into a credible and interesting central figure in the historical drama; I've read some awful ones as well, purporting to be by the Tsar's daughters or some Plains Indian woman who didn't have anything much to say. Also, I read a terribly disappointing account purporting to be by Christopher Marlowe. It made him out to be some sort of paranoid schizophrenic, which is going to have such an adverse effect on the narrator's ability to tell a coherent story that the author hasn't left himself a leg to stand on. And Marlowe's story in his own words had such promise, too. Turtle Fan 19:02, June 27, 2010 (UTC) ::::::HT wisely throws in a framing device of a monk reading the memoirs to one of Justinians most trusted aids, Myakes, who was blinded after Justinian's death. The narrative is interspersed with comments from Myakes. Having someone else to counter Justinian's self-righteous assholery is a good thing, IMHO. TR 19:11, June 27, 2010 (UTC) :::::Yes, and you do need to keep fictional memoirs grounded. Reminding people that this is someone's memories from many years later gives the story dimension. It also provides a quick and easy defense against anyone ready to nitpick on inaccuracies: blame it on the imperfect memory of the story-teller, and/or the natural impulse to tell the story in a way that makes him look good. Turtle Fan 20:13, June 27, 2010 (UTC)